
The toughest sides of the men's and women's draws at the Australian Open are playing up to expectations. Now, a consequence of that smooth sailing is the likelihood of some semifinals being worthy of any Grand Slam title matches.

With the third round complete for the leading players at Melbourne Park, only one of the first eight men's seeds did not advance: No. 6 Juan Martin del Potro. Six of the eight top women were through.
"Lucky loser" Florent Serra will face 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in the tournament's first round after David Nalbandian withdrew.

Though no player would admit to looking so far ahead, Novak Djokovic may have been the biggest winner when the U.S. Open bracket was set Thursday.
Though no player would admit to looking so far ahead, Novak Djokovic may have been the biggest winner when the U.S. Open bracket was set Thursday.
Rafael Nadal is heading to the Big Apple to play tennis _ only it'll be for an exhibition match next March, not the U.S. Open next week.
The lofty expectations placed on British hope Andy Murray every year at Wimbledon ramped up several notches following Rafael Nadal's surprising exit.

A day after Rafael Nadal's stunning exit at Wimbledon, the only other men who have won the tournament since 2003 — six-time champion Roger Federer and defending champion Novak Djokovic — found themselves trailing far-less-accomplished opponents, too.

If Congressional's par-3 10th hole isn't tough enough to face first thing in the morning, Dustin Johnson and Hunter Mahan have to deal with it under the gaze of Captain America.